Automatic valve.



J. T. O'BRIEN, W. G. SARGENT, M. DOWD & F. A. OBRIBN. AUTOMATIC VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 2a, 1912.

1,099,196, A Patented June 9,1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,,WAsMlNn1cN, Bic.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. OBRIEN, WELLINGTON G. SARGEN'I, MARTIN DOWD, AND FRANCIS A. OBRIEN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS T0 UNIVERSAL VALVE COMPANY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OI MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Application filed October 28,1912. Serial No. 728,140.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN T. OBRIEN, WELLINGTON G. Sanennr, MARTIN Down, and FRANCIS A. OBRIEN, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Valves; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in automatic valves and more particularly to valves adapted to be used in automatic fire sprinkler systems and similar places where it is necessary to occasionally shut of]? the flow of water to prevent leakage in the pipes beyond the valve, but to have the valve immediately and automatically opened as soon as the leak in the pipe is stopped, and its object is to provide a simple and cheap device which will, effectively accomplish the above mentioned results, and to provide the same with various new and useful features as hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

This device is particularly adapted, as above mentioned, for automatic fire sprinkler systems consisting of a series of pipe lines on which are placed at intervals sprinkler heads which are normally held closed by fusible blocks, and which will be automatically opened to emit a spray of water when heat is applied to them. It sometimes happens that these sprinklers are inadvertently opened when there is no fire, and the water issuing therefrom will do considerable damage before they can be closed and repaired.

Our invention comprises a valve which is adapted to be placed in either themain supply pipe or in each one of the branches, and which may be closed in case any of the sprinkler heads should. begin to leak and which will remain closed as long as this sprinkler is unrepaired, but which will antomatically open as soon as the leak is stopped to again allow the water to flow into the system.

The device is also provided with various other novel features of construction and arrangement as will more fully appear by tend, and 3 shows one of the sprinkler heads which are normally closed and are spaced at intervals along the branch lines.

4 is the body of the automatic valve which is provided at each end with screw threads or other pipe connection by which it is inserted in either the main supply pipe or inlet end of the branch pipes as shown.

5 is a cylinder extending laterally from the middle portion of the body of the valve and preferably disposed at an angle thereto.

(5 is a cylindrical extension to the cylinder 5 slightly smaller in diameter than said cylinder and having the cap 7, preferably screwed on to its outer end, said cap being provided with a central opening 7 The body portion 4 of the valve is provided with a conical valve seat 17 arranged at right angles to the axis of the cylinders 5 and 6 and in line therewith, and a conical valve 19 is provided and adapted to fit against this valve seat. This valve 19 is piston like in shape, being provided with a cylindrical wall 20 which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the inside of the cylinder 5, and may be receded within the said cylinder, a valve stem 8 being attached to the valve for the purpose of operating it.

The valve stem 8 extends axially through the cylindrical extension 6 and the cap 7 and is surrounded within the cylinder 6 by a plunger 15, said plunger also extending through the opening 7 in the cap 7, and being provided with a double faced valve 1 1 at its inner end which is adapted to a seat in one position against an. annular seat 13 at the upper end of the cylinder 6 and against the cap 7 in its opposite position.

The outer end of the plunger 15 is provided with a head 9 which is supported and spaced away from the end of the plunger by arms 9. This head is provided with an axial opening through which the valve stem.

8 passes, and lock nuts 11, one of which is placed upon each side ,of this head, are screwed upon the valve stem, and are adapted to adjustably clamp the stem'to the head so that a fixed relative position may be maintained between the valves 19 and 14. A V

conical packing nut 10 is also screwed upon the valve stem and'adapted to engage the end of the plunger to prevent the escape of water through the opening surrounding the valve stem. An annular groove 16 iscut into the plunger next to the valve 14L- so that a same is closed for purposes hereafter described, and a knob or ball 12 is provided at the end of the valve stemcto manually shift the valves. It is obvious that a lever or any other well known means for operating this valve may be substituted for the ball on the end of the valve, stem, this being no partof the invention.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assume the valve to be open, in which position the piston valve 19 will be within the cylinder 5 and the plunger 15 in lowered position with the valve 14: seated against the cap 7 to prevent the escape of water. WVhen any one of the sprinkler heads 3 is mad vertently opened or if any other form of leak should occur in the pipe the valve may be immediately closed'by manually pushing upward on the knob 12 to close the valve 19 and seat the valve 14 against the ledge 13. This shuts 'ofi' the main supply of Water from the pipe line and prevents any damage being done by the large amount of water which would escape through the leak, but at the same time admits a small quantity of water to pass through the vent 18 so thata constant dripping will occur at the leak as a reminder that the same must be repaired. The water from the pressure side of the pipe will fill the cylinder 5 behind the valve 19, and as the pressure is reduced on the opposite side of the valve by the leak in the pipe the valve will be kept closed by the pressure behind it. While in this position the water is prevented from escaping from the cylinder 5 by the valve 14 held closed by the valve 19. After the leak in the pipe has been repaired and the escape of water therefrom has been stopped the gradual flow through'the recess 18in the valve seat will finally fill the pipe and equalize the pressure on both sides of the valve. This pressure will followback through the cylinder 5 and exert itself against the portion of the disk 1 1 which is exposed throughthe aperture in the ledge 13. This exposed area is large enough'so that sufficient water pressure may be exerted against it to raise the valve 19 from its seat. the valve 14 to the lower end of the cylinder 6 and against the cap 7 preventing'any es-.

cape of water. from the cylinder 6. The object of the cylindrical wall 20 of the valve '19is to prevent the entrance of any obstructing material into the cylinder 5 and beneath the valve 19. In case fire. should occur while the leak is still unrepaired inthe pipe and the valve is closed, it may be manually opened by simply drawing down on the valve stem. 7 a

In adjusting the relative positions of the plunger and valve'19,'both of which are mounted upon and carried by the valve stem 8, the packing'nut'IO and both locking nuts This will also carry 11 are first loosenedand the valve 19 isflthen 7 ad usted to itsseat and the plunger 15 moved inward until the valve 14 seats against the ledge 13. 'The lock nuts 11 are then screwed tightly against the head Qafter which the pack'ing'nut is screwed into place andthe valve is then adjusted and ready for operation.

What we clann is:

adapted to close the passage and to recede" wholly within the branch'leaving an unobstructed passage and a secondaryvalve con nected to and mOvingsimultaneOuSly with the first named valve and adapted to close the end of the branch- 2. An automatic valve, comprising a body having a passage therethro-ugh, a branch communicating with the passage and extending laterally therefrom, a main, valve to close the passage and adapted to recede within the branch, a head at the end i of the branch, an annular ledgenear the middle of the branch, and a secondary valve connected to and moving simultaneously with the main valve and adapted to rest against the ledge, when the m'ainvalve is closed and against the head when the valve is open. 7 r i 8. An automatic valve, comprising a'body having a passage therethrough, .abranch extending laterally from thegbody and communicating with the passage therein, a valve adapted to close the passage and to recede within the branch, an extensionon the branch communlcatmg therewith and provided with a valve seat at each endanda second. valve connected to and moving simultaneously with the first named valve and adapted at each end ofits stroke to seat a 1. An automatic valve, comprising a body a having a passage therethrough, a valve seat in the passage, a branch extending laterally from the body opposite the valve seat and communicating with the passag, therein, a reciprocable main valve adapted to rest against the valve seat and close the passage and to recede within the branch, an extension on the branch communicating therewith and provided at each end with a valve seat, a valve stem attached to the main valve and extending axially through the branch and extension thereof, and a secondary valve mounted on the valve stem within the branch extension and adapted to engage the valve seats therein at the respective limits of its stroke.

5. An automatic valve, comprising a body having a passage therethrough, a branch extending laterally from the body and communicating with the passage therein, a reciprocable valve adapted to close the passage and to recede within the branch, an extension on the branch communicating with the said branch and having a valve seat at each end, a valve stem attached to the main valve and extending axially through the branch and extension thereof, a plunger mounted upon the valve stem within the branch extension and projecting out of the lower end thereof, and a disk on the plunger adapted to seat against the valve seats at each end of the branch extension at the respective limits of its stroke.

6. An automatic valve, comprising a body having a passage therethrough, a branch extending laterally from the body and communicating with the passage therein, a re ciprocable main valve adapted to close the passage and recede within the branch, an extension on the branch communicating with the same and provided at each end with a valve seat, a valve stem attached to the main valve and extending axially through the branch and extension thereof, a plunger surrounding the valve stem within the branch extension and projecting through the lower end of the same, a valve mounted on a plunger and adapted to seat against the valve seats at the opposite ends of the branch extension at the respective limits of its stroke, a head surrounding the valve stem and supported upon arms from the lower end of the plunger and spaced apart therefrom, lock nuts to screw upon the valve stem to adjustably clamp the same to the head and a packing nut screwed upon the valve stem and adapted to engage the end of the plunger.

7. An automatic valve, comprising a body having a passage theretln-ough, a cylindrical branch extending laterally from the body and communicating with the passage therein, a cylindrical extension on the branch smaller in diameter than the main branch, co-axial therewith and communicating with the same, a valve seat between the main branch and the extension thereof, a valve seat at the end of the branch extension, a valve stem connected to the main valve and extending axially through the branch and extension thereof, a plunger surrounding the valve stem and adjustably attached thereto within the branch extension and projecting through the valve seat at the lower end of the same, a valve on the inner end of the plunger adapted to alternately engage the valve seats at the opposite ends of the branch extension to close communication between the branch and extension thereof when the main valve is closed and to prevent the escape of fluid from the branch extension when the main valve is open.

8. An automatic valve, comprising abody having a passage therethrough, a valve seat in the assage, a branch extending laterally from t e body and communicating with the inlet side of the passage, a main valve adapt ed to engage the valve seat to close the same and to recede into the branch when opened, a valve seat at the outer end of the branch and the secondary valve connected to and moving simultaneously with the main valve and adapted to engage the valve seat at the end of the branch to close the same when the main valve is closed, and a restricted bypass connecting the inlet with the outlet sides of the passa e.

In testimony w iereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. OBRIEN. WELLINGTON G. SARGENT. MARTIN DOWD.

FRANCIS A. OBRIEN.

Vitnesses HAROLD O. VAN AN'rwnnP, PEARL RAYMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

